Jim Brunzell
James Brunzell is a retired professional wrestler better known by his ring name "Jumping" Jim Brunzell. Known for his successful tag teams, Brunzell performed for various wrestling promotions over the course of approximately two decades. National Wrestling Alliance: During the later half of the 1970s, he signed to wrestle for the Mid-Atlantic region and won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship twice, a significant singles title at the time. Return to AWA: Upon returning to AWA, Brunzell reformed his tag team with Greg Gagne, known as the "High Flyers", and was elevated to main event status. The tandem of Brunzell and Gagne held the AWA World Tag Team Championship on two separate occasions, feuding with teams like Jesse Ventura and Adrian Adonis and Jerry Blackwell and Ken Patera. Brunzell remained with the AWA in both tag team and singles competition until 1985. WWE: Brunzell then signed to wrestle with WWE as they continued their national expansion. Here, he formed the popular tag team, The Killer Bees, with another WWE newcomer, B. Brian Blair. Apparently, Verne and Greg Gagne felt somewhat betrayed by the move. Gagne even expressed his displeasure during an AWA broadcast, making subtle references to Brunzell's departure and his new gimmick. Brunzell and Blair experienced moderate success while with WWE. The two feuded with the likes of The Hart Foundation as well as the Funks, Jimmy Jack Funk and Hoss Funk, who they faced in front of over 74,000 fans at The Big Event. Their stay was also highlighted by a match against Nikolai Volkoff and the Iron Sheik as part of WrestleMania III and a win at the inaugural Survivor Series on Thanksgiving Day 1987. The Killer Bees teamed together until Blair left the promotion in 1988. Brunzell continued in singles competition for a time, being used to put over newer talent like Curt Hennig and Damien Demento as late as a Raw episode in April 1993. Independent circuit: He left WWE in 1991 and competed on the independent circuit, primarily in the Chicago area. Brunzell also wrestled for Herb Abrams' Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1991. While there, he reunited with B. Brian Blair under the name Masked Confusion, winning the tag team title twice. After the UWF closed, Brunzell returned to the independent circuit and continued to wrestle until late 1999, when Brunzell faced fellow wrestler, The Hater. Currently, Brunzell works as a financial planner for Focus Financial in the Minneapolis area, he is also active in his church and does charity work for children with diabetes.
Known For
Credits
- 2009 ยทWWE: Allied Powers - The World's Greatest Tag Teamsas Himself
- 2005 ยทWWE: Bret 'Hitman' Hart - The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Beas Jim Brunzell
- 1995 ยทAWF Warriors of Wrestlingas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1994 ยทUWF Blackjack Brawlas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1993 ยทWWF Bashed in the USAas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1993 ยทWCW Slamboree 1993as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1993 ยทRawas Jim Brunzell
- 1992 ยทWWE March to WrestleMania VIIIas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1991 ยทUWF Beach Brawlas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE Survivor Series 1988as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE Los Angeles Wrestling: October '88as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '88as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: September '88as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE WrestleFestas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทThe Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the Worldas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE WrestleMania IVas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1988 ยทWWE Royal Rumbleas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1987 ยทWWE Survivor Series 1987as Brunzell
- 1987 ยทWWE Houston Wrestling: October '87as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1987 ยทWWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: June '87as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1987 ยทWWE The Hart Foundationas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1987 ยทWWE WrestleMania IIIas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1987 ยทWWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '87as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1987 ยทThe WWF's Even More Unusual Matchesas
- 1987 ยทWWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: January '87as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWWE Houston Wrestling: October '86as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWWF Wrestling Challengeas Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWWF Wrestling Challengeas Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWWE The Big Eventas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทThe Best of the WWF: volume 8as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWWE Detroit Wrestling '86as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWrestleMania IIas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทWWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1986 ยทHighlanderas Himself (uncredited)
- 1986 ยทThe Best of the WWF: volume 5as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1985 ยทWWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '85as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1985 ยทSaturday Night's Main Eventas
- 1985 ยทAWA StarCageas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1985 ยทPWUSA Mayhem at The Meadowlandsas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1985 ยทPWUSA Star Warsas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1984 ยทAWA Christmas Show 1984as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1983 ยทAWA Christmas Night 1983as "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1983 ยทAWA Super Sundayas "Jumpin" Jim Brunzell
- 1974 ยทThe Wrestleras James Brunzell